Research

Discovery and Innovation with Purpose

WPI faculty members and students are engaged in advanced, interdisciplinary research across a broad range of fields. From cutting-edge work in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, to explorations of the technological and policy issues surrounding cybersecurity, to studies of issues as diverse as firefighter health and security and the fire safety challenges of green buildings, this fundamental and applied research is addressing vital societal problems and technological challenges and producing innovations and insights that are helping build a better world.

Areas of Research

WPI's research in health and biotechnology crosses multiple disciplines and embraces a wide range of focus areas—all with the goals of expanding our understanding of the living world and improving lives. From leading-edge work in tissue regeneration to building smart phone apps that help patients better manage their own health, researchers are exploring ways to apply knowledge from the life sciences to advance medical practice and improve healthcare outcomes.

WPI researchers are advancing the technology of robotics and cyberphysical systems and exploring applications for these technologies in a broad range of areas, from healthcare (MRI-compatible robots) to transportation (autonomous and connected vehicles). Having launched the nation’s first undergraduate program in robotics engineering in 2007, the university continues to pioneer advances and breakthroughs in the field.

WPI's multidisciplinary research program in materials science and engineering is motivated by the recognition that the nation’s future economic vitality will depend on the development of novel materials inspired by nature and more durable and sustainable materials for our nation’s infrastructure. Researchers are finding new technologies that make it possible to recover and reuse materials, and drive advanced manufacturing in a broad array of industries to fuel economic development and job creation. Traditionally a leader in all of these fields, WPI hosts several internationally known materials and manufacturing centers.

WPI is engaged in cybersecurity research that is addressing a host of security threats and critical policy issues. Researchers in data science are spearheading initiatives that use advanced tools, from data mining to machine learning, to bring insights to a broad range of fields. In fire protection engineering, faculty members and students are applying advanced experimental and computational techniques to address a wide range of fire safety issues in state-of-the-art facilities. All the efforts in this area are working toward a common theme—to keep us safer in a complicated world.

WPI researchers in learning sciences are pioneering new technologies and gaining new insights into how students learn, work that has the power to revolutionize the nation’s education system. With expertise in such areas as intelligent tutors, wearable learning technologies, gamification, and educational data mining, and with substantial funding from an array of federal agencies, research teams looking for powerful new ways to make learning and teaching more effective and more impactful.

A Small University with Big Research Capabilities

At WPI, an emphasis on applied research means faculty and students engage in work that can translate into products, services, or other intellectual property. From start-up to exit strategy, an extensive network of experts and resources can help turn a spark of imagination into a marketable innovation. Learn more about Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Open Faculty Positions

WPI is a collaborative community where faculty, staff, and students celebrate new ideas, respect different opinions, and foster professional and personal growth. Interdisciplinary groups get together to build community, form strategic partnerships, and innovate with impact in several research areas.